Paper carriage for accounting machines



Dec. 24, 1940.

w. A. ANDERSON PAPER CARRIAGE FOR ACCOUNT ING MACHINES 3 Sheets -Sheet 1Filed June 29, 1958 v INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON ATTORNEY 24,1940. w.A. ANDERSON A 2,226,151 1 PAPER CARRIAGE FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES FiledJune 29, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON ATTORNEY Dec.24, 1940. w. A. ANDERSON 2,225,151

PAPER CARRIAGE FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed June 29, 1938 I sSheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORY WALTER A. ANDERSON yflg ATTORNEY Patented nee.24,- 1940 UNITED STATES PAPER CARRIAGE FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Walter A,Anderson, Bridgeport,-Conn., assignor to Underwood Elliott FisherCompany, New

, York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 29, 1938,Serial No. 216,460 a 1 Claims. (01. 197-128) This invention relates topaper carriages for accounting machines, and more particularly to paperholding apparatus therefor;

In modern accounting practice it is' frequently necessary to enter onlya single line of posting on each form, making it desirable to remove andinsert the forms in rapid succession; Also, it is frequently necessaryto print upon bank checks or short memorandum slips thatido not havesuflicient length to be held in printing position by the usual paperholding devices.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a paperholdingmechanismfor long work forms, having means for properly holdingsuch forms in printing position and being operable either'manua'lly orautomatically to an open or closed'position, whereby to facilitate thein sertion and removal of the forms during successive one-line printingoperations. 20 Another object of the invention is to provide anadjustable means for supporting and holding relatively short lengthforms, such as checksand the like, in printing position on the carriageplaten. I T 25 Withthese and incidental objects in'view, the inventionconsists in certain novel features of construction and combinations ofparts, the essential elements of which are set forth in'appendingclaims,and a preferred embodiment of so which is hereinafter described withreference to the drawings which accompany and form part of thisspecification.

' In the drawings: r

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carriage 35 embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a right side elevation'oi the car'- riage, with the improvedpaper holding mechanism latched in open position, Figure 3 is a detailleft side elevation of the im- 40 proved paper holding mechanisminclosed position-,1 c

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but with the paper holdingstructure shown in the position to which it is moved when rear fed paperis to 45 be inserted around the platen, and

Figure 5 is a detail right side elevation of the latch for maintainingthe paper holding mechanism inopen position. I v a a The invention isillustrated in connection with so thetypeof carriage used on the machinedisclosed inthe applicationof Oscar J. Sundstrand, Serial No. 581,800,filed December 18, 1931 which matured as Patent'No. 2,194,270, March 19,1940. It is adapted to be used on the type of carriage l5 disclosed inUnited States Patent No 2,060,954,

issued to Oscar J.'Sundstrand, on November 17, 1936, or onthat'disclosed inthe United States applications of Walter A. Anderson,Serial No. 92,164, filed July 23, 1936 and Serial No. 192,675, filedFebruary 26, 1938 which matured as Patent '6 No. 2,185,424,.January 2,1940. I

Carriage in general Referring to Figure 1, the carriage is mounted formovement along-a track I. The track is provided with grooves 2 (Figure2) to receive rolls 3, received also by oppositely disposed grooves incarriage frame. As the carriage moves from right to left, it is stoppedin various" columnar positions so that type bars 5 on'the accountingmachine may printon work forms fed around the platen 5; The mechanismfor tabulating the carriagefrom column to column and for returning it toits initial position is disclosed in Patent No. 2,194,270. The carriageis adapted to accommodate rear fed paper such as ajournal sheet 1 andfront fed paper such as a ledger sheet 8 (Figure 2), as well as smallforms suchgas a check 9 (Figure' 1 "Theplaten may'be' rotated manuallyby knobs l2 secured't'o each-end of the platen shaft' l2, and may berotated automatically during operations of the machineby a'feed pawl Itco-' operating with teeth 0"a ratchet wheel l5 se-- cured to shaft IS.The mechanism for operating pawl ll, together with the adjustablemechanism therefor, isfully disclosed in Patent No. 2,060,954. I

' Mechanism for guiding and feeding rear fed I w forms Referring toFigures 1 and 2, the. rear fed form 1 passes downwardly'between guidesl8 and, I1, and over apapertable ll extending across the entire widthjofthe carriage andjha'ving at'its opposite'ends ears l9. The earsareapertured to receivethe'opposite ends of a rod 20 secured 40 to sideplates 2| and 22 of the carriage by two screws,- one of which is shownat "(Figure 1). The paper table e iids downwardly to a point pquiteclose to" platen 6, and is held at its lower end by. screws (notshown).' The guides l6 and 11 are arranged to lie over table I8 and arecurved on their upper ends, as shown in Figure 2. Finger pieces such as24 are secured to guides l6 and I1 andi'are apertured to receive rod 20.The finger pieces grip rod 20sufllciently to retain the guides.

,in any position to which they'are adjustedalong rod 20. I I

The journal sheet I then passes between platen 6 and rear feed rolls 25.Rolls 25 aresupported in trucks 2 Div.0ted at 21 on brackets "secured byscrews (not shown) to table l3. Brackets 23 are apertured to receive aflat sided shaft 29 journaled in the side plates of the carriage.Springs 30 connected between an offset lug on tr .lCkS 26 5 and a formedlug on brackets 28 tension the trucks clockwise about pivots 21 to bringrolls 25 into frictional contact with the platen. Upstanding lugs 3i ontrucks 25 lie adjacent one of the longer flat sides of shaft 29 when therolls are in this position. Manipulative levers 32 (Figures 1 and 2) aresecured to each end of shaft 29. When it is desired to move the feedrolls away from the platen, it is only necessary to rotate one of thelevers 32 forwardly a slight extent. This causes an edge of shaft 29 tomove lugs 31 toward the left and rotate trucks 26 counter-clockwiseabout pivots 21 thereby moving rolls 25 away from the platen.

From rolls 25, the paper continues around the platen and passes underauxiliary feed rolls 33, and then upwardly out of the carriage. In orderto facilitate insertion of this form between feed rolls 33 and theplaten, rolls 33 are mounted on the front feed paper structure which isarranged to be swung upwardly about shaft 33 as apivot, to remove therolls from contact with the platen. This swinging structure is morefully described below.

Mechanism for guiding and holding front fed paper For introducing frontfed sheets, right and left guide chutes 34 and 35, respectively, areprovided. These chutes are formed with sides 33 which act as edgeguides, and are secured on separate brackets 31 (Figure 3). Brackets 31are apertured (Figure 5) to receive a square shaft 33 extending acrossthe carriage and journaled in plates 39 (Figure 1) secured on thecarriage side 4 walls and secured in position by screws such as 40.Forwardly extending arms 41 and 42 are mounted on shaft 33 adjacentplates 33 and are connected at their forward ends by a shaft 43. Thelower ends of brackets 31 are recessed as at 45 44 (Figure to fit snuglyin annular grooves provided in collars 45 slidably mounted on rod 43.Thumb screws 43 threaded in brackets 31 and bearing against shaft 33maintain the brackets and chutes in their laterally adjusted position 50along shafts 33 and 43.

The paper is passed downwardly through the chutes and is directed underthe platen first by the upper portion of a plate 41 secured to the frameof the accounting machine.

55 deflectors 43 are provided adjacent type bars 5 and have surfaces 45to prevent the paper from catching on the endsof the type if the papershould have a tendency to curl in that direction. Plate 41 deflects thepaper toward a front feed 60 lip 50 secured between the carriage sideplates 2! and 22. Further insertion of the paper causes it tobedeflected upwardly between the rear feed rolls 25 and a guide plate 5|secured between the carriage side plates. Further move- 65 ment bringsthe paper into contact with the lower edges of deflectors 52 supportedon pivots 21 and a rod 53. The paper then continues rearwardly betweendeflectors 52 and plate 51 until it strikes adjustable paper stops 54,one of which is shown in Figure 2. Stops 54 may be adjusted along plate5i by turning a knob 55. The details of this adjustable stop mechanismare disclosed in application Serial N0. 92,164.

After the paper is fully inserted, it is necessary thatlt be held firmlyin position during the One or more.

printing operations. To accomplish this there are provided on each ofthe chutes 34 and 35 clamping members 53 pivoted on screws 51. A link 58is pivotally connected to the upper end of each clamp 56, and, by pinand slot connection 62, is connected to upstanding arms 59 flxed oncollars 45. Springs 60 (Figure 5) connected between studs 61 on the rearends of links 53 and the pins ofthe pin and slot connection '32 normallytension clamps 55 counter-clockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, causing lips53 formed on the lower ends of the clamps to yleldlngly press the paperagainst the rear walls of chutes 34 and 35 to hold it in position forprinting.

The apertures of arms 58 are provided with keys lying in a key slot IDin shaft 43. This insures rotation of arms 59 with shaft 43, but permitsthem to be moved along the shaft. A lever '64 is secured to the left endof shaft 43 for rotating the shaft to release clamps 55 from contactwith the front fed paper. An arcuate slot 65 (Figure 3) in lever 64embraces an extended pin 66 in shaft 38 to limit the rotation of shaft43. A spring 61, superior in strength to springs 35, is connectedbetween pin 63 and a stud 33 secured in lever 64, whereby the lever andparts connected therewith are tensioned clockwise to their normalposition, i. e., with clamps .53 in closed position, as shown in Figure3. To release the clamps, it is merely necessary for the operator topress lever 64 rearwardly. This movement rotates shaft 43, taking up thelost motion in the pin and slot connection 62 and moving links 58rearwardly to rock clamps 53 about screws 51 to their open position, asshown in Figure 2. A lever 69 (Figures 1 and 5) pivoted on a screw 13secured in bracket 31 is arranged to latch the clamps in open positionagainst the tension of spring 61. The lower end of this lever is formedwith a hook 1|, which rests on top of pin 32 when clamp members 56 arein closed position, as shown in Figure 5. A spring 12 connected betweenthis lever and a stud 13 on the side 33 of chute 34, tensions the levercounter-clockwise of screw 10 and holds the lower edge of hook 11 incontact with pin 52. Upon movement of lever 34 and link 58 toward therear of the machine, lever 69 swings counter-clockwise and hook 11engages pin 52 to latch clamps 53 in open position. The form 8 is theninserted and lever 33 pressed rearwardly to release shaft 43 for forwardrotation under the tension of spring 31. During this movement, arms 59take up part of the lost motion in pin and slot connections 32 and causeclamps 53 to press firmly against the paper under the tension of spring30. After the printing operation has been completed, the form may bewithdrawn without releasing clamps 53, the tension exerted upon theclamps by spring 33 being of an amount only sufllcient to firmly butyieldingly hold the paper.

Frequently it is desirable to have the clamps 53 open automatically asthe carriage returns after a printing operation. To accomplish this, thefollowing means are provided.

A depending lever 14 (Figure 1) secured on the right end of shaft 43 hasa flange ll lying in the path of an arm 13. Am 13 is pivoted at its rearend on a stud 11 secured in a lever 13, and is guided by shaft 23 forforward and rearward movement, arm 13 resting on the shaft between lever32 and the carriage sidewall. The lever 13 is pivoted on a screw stud 13for oscillating movement, the screw passing through a slot 33 in theupper. end of the lever. The lower end of'lever 13 carries a roll 31arranged to engage, during the return movement of the. carriage, a camplate I! secured on. carriage bed-.1.

A guide bar Ill fixed to sidewall-II conilnesv lever ll .against lateraldisplacement.= A spring 03 :5 conneotedbetween stud l1 and a stud 1 Hanbar I tensions-the, lever downwardly and :rear- 'wardly; On the; returnstroke of the carriage, roll lt-engages cam 82 and swings lever 51''forward, .thrusting arm 18 forward, and rocking lever" and shaft "torelease clamps i8. Lever 09 then-latches clamps H in open position inthe same manner as when lever 04 is operated to release the clamps.After roll, ll passes plate l2, spring 83 returns it to its rearposition shown in Figure 1. Then during the working stroke of thecarriage, roll Ii engages an inclined surface 84 of plate '2 and raiseslever "against tension of spring 83, to allow it to pass over the plate.The automatic clamp release mechanism may be disabled, when desired,by'raising lever ll suiiiciently to place roll 8| above the horizontalplane of cam 02. A latch 05 is provided to hold lever 10 in thiselevated position. The latch is pivoted on stud 'II and is swungforwardly into engagement with stud" to hold lever 18 in elevatedposition. This mechanism is fully disclosed in theSundstrand Patent No.2,060,954.

Mechanism for supporting checks or other like forms Referring now toFigures 1 and 2, plates 08 are provided with flanges 81 having elongatedslots ll through which pass screws ll secured in sides 38 of chutes I4and ll,whereby the plates 08 may be vertically adjusted thereon. Each ofthese plates carryflat spring clips 90, the lower ends of which passbetween stationary pins 9| fixed on plates I. Pins ll provide a stop forposition. An auxiliary bracket 02 may be provided on rods 38 and 43 toaccommodate the checks in an offset relation to the ledger sheets, ifdesired. This bracket is similarly provided with a verticallyadiustablepplate ll carrying a spring clip SI and pins I.

When it is desired to print a single line on each succession as theprinting operationsare completed.

To facilitate the insertion of rear fed forms, the front feed structureabove described is arranged to be swung upwardly and forwardly from theposition shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4. To dothis, the operator merely grasps the shaft 41 and pulls upwardly,brackets 31 and the other parts swinging about shaft 30 as an axis. Arm2 (Figure 4) hasa rearward extension 93 arranged to abut a stud thismovement of the front feed structure.

A' depending arm I! pivoted on a stud N on arm 42 is provided with anotch 01 and a cam face 9| on its forward edge. A spring ll connectedbetween the lower end of arm" and the the upper edge of checks or shortforms and assist in locating these forms in correct printing Theoperator.

94 secured on the inner side of plate ll to limit carriage.v frametensions the arm forwardly against an inwardly projecting stud I secured'on' the carriage sidewall 22. When-the front ',feed structure is inclosed position, as shownin Figure 3, cam face SI bears against-stud I00and 5 junder'tension of spring '89 maintains the structure-firmly. inthis posltion. 'When' the structure. is raised to 'the'positionj shownin Figure 4, notch 9'!v engages stud 100 and maintains the structure inraised position'to permiteasy'access 10 to the platen while introducingrear fed'forms. Feed rolls'33 (Figure 3) are mounted in trucks IM,pivoted at I02 in brackets 31. Springs Ill connected between extensionsI04 of the trucks and studs I05 secured in brackets TI tension rolls 83clockwise about pivots I02. By these parts, when the structure is closedrolls 33 yieldingly contact platen 8 and assist in feeding the rear fedpaper.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirablyadapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understoodthat it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form ofembodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment invarious forms all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is: 1. In a achineof the class described having printingm hanism and a traveling paper carriage carrying a platen, thecombination of a printing position, means carried by the carriage andoperable to move the clamping means to releasing position while thechute remains stationary with respect to the platen, and means on astationarypart of the machine operable to release the clamping meansduring travel of the carriage. I

'2. In a traveling paper carriage having a platen, the combination of achute for introducing/work sheets from in front of the platen. aclamping means including front and back members mounted on the chute tohold the sheets,

and means operated by travel of the carriage to release the clampingmeans.

3. In a traveling paper carriage having a platen, the combination of achute for introducing work sheets from in front of the platen, aclamping means including front and back members mounted on thechute tohold the sheets, means automatically operable during travel of. thecarriage to release the clamping means, and means co-acting with thereleasingmeans for maintaining the clamping means in released position.

4. In a traveling paper carriage having a platen,the combination of achute for introducing work sheets from in front of the platen, meanscan-iediby the chute and movable relatively thereto, for holding thework sheets stationary in relation to the platen. and means operated bytravel of the carriage for rendering the holding-means ineffective at apredetermined point in the carriage travel by moving the holding meansrelatively to the chute.

5. In a traveling paper carriage having a platen, the combination of achute for introducing work sheets from in'front of the platen, the chutebeing adJustable to accommodate work sheets of different widths, aclamping means including front and back members mounted on the chute tohold the sheets, and means automaticaily operable during travel of thecarriage to release the clamping means.

6. In a traveling paper carriage having a platenand being adapted forthe insertion of both rear and front fed work sheets, the combination o!a chute for introducing work sheets from in front oi! the platen, aclamping means including front and back members mounted on the chute tohold the sheets, and means automatically operable during travel of thecarriage to release the clamping means, the said clamping release theclamping'means. l0

